Attractions
Lisbon:
Ajuda Botanical Garden (Jardim Botânico da Ajuda)- The first botanical garden of Portugal, Ajuda Botanical Garden was built in 1768 by the order of the Pombal Marquis. This garden was used to cultivate and maintain abundant amount of different species brought back during the Age of Discovery.
Science Faculty Botanical Garden (Jardim Botânico da Faculdade Ciências)-Created in the 19th century to serve the Science Academy, this is considered one of the most important botanical gardens in Europe. The Garden houses approximately 2,500 species—some of which are extremely rare—with its palm-tree alleyway and a labyrinth of small paved paths.
Estufa Fria Garden (Jardim Estufa Fria)-Built in 1910, the garden is one of the most popular spots in the city. It contains a great number of species from all around the world. Estufa Fria is not only a great spot to escape from city’s hot temperatures during the summer months, but thanks to its many statues and fountains, its also very romantic.
Principe Real Garden (Jardim do Príncipe Real)-Founded in 1859 in homage to the first-born son of Queen D. Maria II, this garden is located in one of the most striking zones of the city, the northern tip of Bairro Alto. The Garden contains picnic tables, two monuments in homage to the journalist França Borges and the poet Souda Viterbo, one small children’s playground and kiosk. With it’s a century-old tree and a spectacular view of Lisbon, this garden is a must-see!
Nations Park (Jardins do Parque Nações)-Built during Expo 98 with the participation of 142 countries and organizations using the concept of “the oceans, a heritage for the future," Nations Park offers various attractions with the great view of Vasco da Gama Bridge. Some of the attractions include; the Oceanarium, the Knowledge Pavilion (Pavilhão do Conhecimento), the Virtual Reality Pavilion, Macau Pavilion, musical performances in the Atlantic Pavilion, cable car rides, bicycle rentals, open-air concerts in Sony Square (Praça Sony), the Vasco da Gama Shopping Center and numerous bars and cafes.
Aqueduct of the Free Waters (Aqueduto das Águas Livres)-Built in the 18th century (1729-1748) by the order of King João V, the aqueduct served to supply water to the city. It consists of 109 arches across the valley, with the tallest arch clocking in at 66 meters.
Estrela Basilica (Basílica da Estrela) Built in late-Baroque style in the 18th century, Estrela Basilica is one of Lisbon’s the most fascinating churches. It was the first church in the world dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
House of the Pointed Stones (Casa dos Bicos)-Built in 1523, it was inspired by the Diamond Palace of Ferrara and the Bevilacqua Palace of Bologna. It derives its name from the unusual points ("bicos") comprising the equally unusual façade. The earthquake of 1755 destroyed the two upper floors, yet were repaired in 1980s.
Saint George’s Castle (Castelo de São Jorge) Built by the Visigoths in the 5th century and enlarged by the Moors in the 9th century, the Castle demonstrates the early history of the city, while offering to its visitors a spectacular panoramic view of Lisbon and Tagus River. The Castle also hosts a multimedia exhibition of Lisbon’s history. Visitors shouldn’t miss the Ogival House, where they can see the 17th-century door that opened onto the jails once located in the Castle.
Jeronimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) Built in a fascinating combination of late-Baroque and Renaissance styles in the 16th century, the Monastery celebrates the country’s Age of Discovery. Interiors present a unique masterpiece of “Manueline” decoration along with the symbolic tombs of world wide famous poet Luis de Camoes and the navigator Vasco de Gama. The Monastery was classified a “Cultural Heritage of All Humanity” by UNESCO in 1984.
Discoveries Monument (Padrão dos Descobrimentos) The Discoveries Monument was built on the banks of River Tagus in 1960 to honor the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator. Designed in the shape of a caravel, on which Henry the Navigator, Vasco da Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral (discoverer of Brazil), Fernão Magalhães (who crossed the Pacific in 1520), the writer Camões and many relevant heroes of Portuguese history are shown, the monument offers a fabulous view from the top. It also owns a multimedia exhibit through the history of Lisbon, as well as hosts temporary exhibitions and concerts.
Belem Tower (Torre de Belém) Built in Manueline style during the Age of Discovery, in 1520, the Tower was used to defend the Tagus river bank. Once a symbol of King João II’s power, as the new centuries passed, the tower had been given different functions such as a customs control point, a telegraph station, a lighthouse and even a political prison. UNESCO classified it as a World Heritage Site in 1983.
Patriarchal Cathedral (Sé Patriarcal) Built in 12th century on the ruins of the Muslim mosque by the order of Portugal’s first King D. Afonso Henriques, this Church is designed in a late-Romanesque architectural style with a gothic chapel.
National Church of Santa Engrácia (Igreja de Santa Engrácia/Panteão)- Established in a baroque architectural style, this Church is one of the most beautiful in Lisbon. It took such a long time—284 years—to build the church that it inspired the Portuguese expression works of Santa Engracia (obras de Santa Engracia), signifying endless like works of Santa Engracia. It is the national monument of Portugal since 1910 and the National Pantheon since 1916.
Christ the King Sanctuary (Santuário do Cristo Rei)- Built in 1959 on the south bank of the River Tagus, the 110-meter-high statue of Christ offers a magnificent panoramic view over Lisbon and the river.
Church and Monastery of São Vicente de Fora (Igreja e Mosteiro de São Vicente)- The Church was built in 1147 in order to thank God for the conquest of Lisbon from the Moors. The Church was renovated in the 16th and 17th centuries. Its Portuguese tile panels are inspired by La Fontaine's fables.
Church of Saint Anthony of Lisbon (Igreja de Santo António de Lisboa)- Destroyed by the Earthquake of 1755, the Church was rebuilt on the original ruins of Manueline.
National Art Museum (Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga) The museum's collection includes seven finest collections of paintings, sculpture, drawings, engravings, jewelry, ceramics, textiles and furniture from the 12th to the 19th centuries. It also exhibits the masterpieces of European, African and Oriental art.
Chiado Museum - National Museum of Contemporary Art (Museu Do Chiado - Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporanea) - Located in the heart of the city, the Chiado Museum gathers a remarkable collection of Portuguese art dating from 1820 up to present and holds the most significant collection of Portuguese contemporary art, including Columbano and Almada Negreiros.
Puppet Museum (Museu da Marioneta) – The Puppet Museum presents a wide collection of traditional puppets from all around the world in the restored 17th-century convent the Convento Das Bernardas. Even though the Museum aims to provide a general view of puppets from all around the world, it gives a special attention to Portuguese Puppet Theater. The museum fascinates the visitors through a great range of masks coming from all over the world and shadows. Special collections includes: Dolls (Japanese), Masks (Oriental), Puppets (Oriental), Puppets (Portuguese), Stage machinery, reconstructions (Baroque), Teatro Branca-Flor, Teatro do Mestre Gil, Teatro Robertoscope M.S. Lourenço.
City Museum (Museu da Cidade) The City Museum offers a journey to Lisbon's historical evolution from the prehistoric era to the present day, presenting archeological finds, paintings and engravings and is located in a beautiful 17th-century palace reputed as Palacio Pimenta.
Fado House and Portuguese Guitar Museum (Caso do Fado e da Guitarra Portuguesa)- If there exists any other way to feel the city than walking the streets of Lisbon, it is to discover Fado and melancholic rhymes of Portuguese guitar. This Museum contains everything about history of Fado and Portuguese guitar. It also has a section for temporary exhibitions, a document archive, auditorium, a thematic shop and coffee shop.
Oceanarium (Oceanário de Lisboa) Europe's biggest oceanarium is a magnificent project of Cambridge Seven Associates, which had been directed by American architect Peter Chermayeff. It offers live displays, environmental soundscapes and interactive media for its visitors.
Ethnology Museum (Museu Nacional da Etnologia) The Ethnology Museum gathers 30,000 ethnographical artifacts from Portuguese-speaking communities in South America and all around the world. Emphasis is given to Maçau and Africa.
University of Lisbon National Natural History Museum (Museu Nacional de História Natural) The Natural History Museum consists of three sections; Botanical Laboratory/Museum/Garden; the Zoological/Anthropological Museum/Laboratory; the Mineralogical/Anthropological Museum/Laboratory, the Museum exhibits the results of research conducted in Portugal.
Archaeological Site (Núcleo Arqueológico/BCP) The Archaeoligocal Site takes its visitors through 2500 years of history of Lisbon. The rich collection includes archaeological structures and artifacts from the Romans to the Moors, from the Visigoths to the Medieval and the Pombaline periods.
Boca do Vento Elevator (Elevador Panorâmico da Boca do Vento) Built on the other side of the River Tagus in 2000, Boca do Vento Elevator rises 50 m above. Close to the historical settings in Almada, the Lift provides a spectacular view of Lisbon and its surroundings.
Seville:
Alcázar This was built in the 1360s by Moorish craftsmen for Pedro of Castile who, with his mistress, lived in and ruled from the Alcazar. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Mezquita Spanish for mosque, this is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Córdoba, Spain. It was originally built to be a warehouse/temple/lighthouse. It later became the second-largest mosque in the world.
Fine Art Museum Built in the 18th century by Juan de Oviedo and set up in the old Convent of la Merced, it is arranged around three patios. Here the visitor can admire works by El Greco, Velázquez, Zurbarán and Valdés Leal. Especially interesting is the Murillo collection located in the convent’s church.
Regional Archeological Museum- Important museum containing Roman objects found in the nearby city of Itálica, the Tartessian treasure unearthed at Carambolo and Oriental pieces. It is located in a Neo-Renaissance building designed by Anibal González for the Latin American exhibition of 1929.
Museo Catedralicio Located in the antichapter, chapel and sacristy halls of the Cathedral, it displays valuable collections of gold work, paintings, relics, jewels and religious attire.
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo It is located in the Cartuja (Charterhouse) of the Santa María de las Cuevas. It has a permanent collection and halls dedicated to temporary exhibitions.
Museo Taurino Exhibits works of bullfighting art of all ages, including a cape painted by Picasso and sculptures by Benlliure.
Maria Luisa Park- Regarded as one of the loveliest parks in Europe, this half-mile area in southern Seville near the port is planted with palms, orange trees, elms and Mediterranean pines. Bright and beautiful flower beds vie for the eye with hidden bowers, ponds and pavilions in this little paradise, which was designed in the 1920s and thus reflects a mix of Art Deco and Mudejar styling. The park was originally part of Seville’s world exposition, which brought a burst of building and rejuvenation during the 1920s, including the re-direction of the Guadalquivir River and the construction of some opulent buildings, like the stylish Guatemala building off the Paseo de la Palmera. Also fronting the park is the city’s archaeological museum, focusing on the Romans and prehistory of the province of Seville. Near the park is the Royal Tobacco Factory (today part of the university), immortalized by the fictional operatic gypsy heroine, Carmen, who worked there.
Torre del Oro The ‘tower of gold’, overlooking the Guadalquivir River, was part of the original Moorish city fortification built in the 13th century, and is believed to have been covered with gold tiles imported from the Americas. The tower has been restored and now houses a maritime museum, which contains drawings and engravings depicting Seville in its heyday.
Madrid:
Prado Museum From its privileged location surrounded by trees and some of Madrid´s greatest monuments, the National Museum of the Prado is one of the most visited attractions in the capital. The museum is home to the most important Spanish painting collection in the world.
Royal Palace- Home to the Kings of Spain from Carlos III all the way through to Alfonso XIII, Madrid´s Royal Palace is now open to anyone who wants to take a trip through Spanish history. Visitors can wander through the many rooms, enjoying the beautiful architecture and the art collection still housed here. Though it is no longer the current royal family´s home, it is still their official residence and the place where public acts and official ceremonies are held. Be sure to discover the new painting gallery, with works by Velazquez, Goya, Carvaggio, Sorolla and Juan de Flandes.
Parque del Buen Retiro Literally Gardens or Park of the Pleasant Retreat, this is a large and popular 1.4 km park in Madrid's city center, very near the Puerta de Alcalá and not far from the Museo del Prado. Once located outside Madrid, the park is now entirely surrounded by the present-day city. The park was originally the site of a royal palace built in 1632 under the reign of King Philip IV. Most of the palace was destroyed during the Peninsular War, leaving a space that was eventually opened to the public in 1868. The few remaining buildings of the palace now house museum collections.
Within the park is the Estanque del Retiro ("Retiro's Pond"), a large artificial pond. Next to it is the Monument to King Alfonso XII, featuring a semicircular colonnade and an equestrian statue of the monarch on the top of a tall central core. Around the lake are many puppet shows greatly enjoyed by the children there. There are all manner of street performers and fortune tellers. Row boats can be rented to paddle about the Estanque. Many families in Madrid go there on the relaxed summer afternoons. From late May through early October, every Sunday at midday, the Banda Sinfónica de Madrid gives free concerts from the bandstand in the park near the Calle d'Alcala. The Park also features an annual Book Fair.
Thyssen-Bornemiza Museum- The Thyssen Museum, along with the Prado and the Reina Sofía, is one of the main attractions on the Art Walk. With a collection of over 1,000 works of art, the Thyssen-Bornemisza is a key stop on one of the world's most singular cultural and artistic touring routes. Just meters from the Prado and the Reina Sofía, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum allows visitors to embark on an exceptional journey through seven centuries of painting or to contemplate any one of the 50 paintings it holds.
The Reina Sofia National Museum- The Reina Sofia National Museum and Art Centre brings together the new trends in contemporary art and undertakes the task of showing the backbone of Spanish art of our times. The extension of the museum, conducted by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel, has increased the facilities and has complemented its activities with two exhibition rooms, a library and an auditorium.
Plaza Mayor The Plaza Mayor is a central plaza in the city of Madrid, Spain. It is located only a few blocks away from another famous plaza, the Puerta del Sol. The Plaza Mayor is rectangular in shape, measuring 129 by 94 meters, and is surrounded by three-story residential buildings having 237 balconies facing the Plaza. It has a total of nine entranceways. The Plaza Mayor was built during the Austrian period. The Casa de la Panadería, serving municipal and cultural functions, dominates the Plaza Mayor.
Descalzas Reales El Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, literally the Monastery of Barefoot Royals, is in the former palace of Carlos I and Isabel of Portugal. Their daughter, Joan of Spain, founded this convent of Franciscan nuns in 1557. Throughout the remainder of the 16th century and into the 17th century, the convent attracted young noblewomen that were either disappointed by love or looking for love in Christ. Each woman brought with her a dowry; the riches quickly piled up, and the convent became one of the richest convents in all of Europe. Tomás Luis de Victoria, Spain's finest Renaissance composer, worked at the convent from 1587 to the end of his life in 1611. Today the Monastery invites visitors into the once secret halls of Madrid's arguably most mysterious building.
Puerta del Sol- One of the most well known and busiest places in Madrid, this is ground zero of the radial network of Spanish roads. The square also contains the famous clock whose bells mark the traditional eating of the Twelve Grapes and the beginning of a new year. The New Year's celebration has been broadcast live on TV since 31 December 1962.
Las Ventas- The Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas is a famous bullring in Madrid. Situated in the barrio of Guindalera in the district of Salamanca, it was inaugurated on June 17, 1931. It has a seating capacity of 25,000 and is regarded as the home of bullfighting in Spain and arguably in the world.
Puerta de Europa The Puerta de Europa towers are two twin office buildings in Madrid. Each building is 115 m tall with an inclination of 15º.
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium- A football stadium in Madrid, Spain, it is the home of Real Madrid. Work on the grounds started on October 27, 1944. Originally called Estadio Chamartín after Madrid's previous stadium, it was inaugurated in December 1947. Real Madrid officially adopted the present name, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, on January 4, 1955 in honor of the club president Santiago Bernabéu.
Plaza de Cibeles- an attractive square featuring a famous sculpture with fountains that have been adopted as a symbol for the city of Madrid.
The fountain of Cibeles is found in the part of Madrid commonly called the Paseo de Recoletos. It depicts the goddess Cibeles (Cybele), the Phrygian goddess of fertility, who is seen sitting on a chariot and being pulled by two lions. On one side of the fountain of Cibeles, the Paseo de Recoletos starts, heading north to join up with the Paseo de la Castellana. On the other side, the Paseo del Prado begins and heads off south, towards the fountain of Neptune, in the Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo, and on until Atocha. Up until the 19th century both the fountain of Neptune and Cibeles looked directly at each other, until the city council decided to turn them round to face towards the centre of the city.
Teatro Real The Real is an opera house in Madrid. It was inaugurated on 19 November 1850, with Donizetti's La Favorite and is one of the world's finest stage and acoustic settings for opera. It is one of the world's most famous opera houses, comparable to many in Europe and elsewhere. The construction of the Real was ordered by the Queen Isabel II, hence its name, the Real (royal in Spanish). The Teatro Real is located just in front of the Palacio Real, the official residence of the Kings of Spain.
